Fountain lather brush



Patented May 10, 1932 V UNITED STATES EARLAN E. MEDLEY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI roum'am LATHER BRUSH Application filed September 22, 1930. Serial No. 483,582.

The present invention relates to brushes, with particular reference to brushes used for the lathering operation in shaving, and alms to provide an improved type of fountain brush, whereby a supply of the liquid soap or lathering cream may be maintained in a reservoir within the handle of the device and in communication with the brush head, together with convenient means for feeding a supply of such soap or cream to the bristles of the brush for each shaving operation.

The primary object of mv invention is to devise an improved fountain brush of this character in which the operation of feeding the liquid soap or lathering cream to the bristles of the brush is effected by an air pressure action, for which purpose a conveniently operated and effective pumping device is formed as a part of the handle structure, and so arranged as to detract in no way from the appearance of the brush while permitting of easy and convenient operation as often as required.

It is also sought to devise a simple, effective and durable construction without any complicated mechanism, and having no parts of a character likely to get out of order.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical and efiicient form of construction which I have devised for fulfilling the objects thereof, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel will be set forth and claimed.

In the drawin Figure 1 is a plain view illustrating a fountain lather brush constructed in. accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 3 is a sectional one of the valve devices.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, this illustrates the improved fountain brush construction as comprising a brush head member 4 containing the usual bristle structure 5 detail illustrating to which the liquid soap or latherin cream is adapted to be fed by means of a tu e 6 communicating with the inner face of the brush head member 4 by way of a valve 7 which is maintained normally closed by means of a spring 8 mounted in the valve chamber 9 in engagement with said valve 7 and seated against the corresponding end of the tube 6.

The inner end of the brush head member 4 is reduced and threaded as indicated at 10 for engagement with one end of a barrel or cylinder 11 comprising the main handle portion of the device and also forming a reservoir 12 for receiving a supply of the soap or lathering -cream. Within this reservoir chamber 12 and fitting the interior of the cylinder 11 is a suitable disk or follower elee ment 13, of aluminum or other noncorrosive material, adapted to force the liquid or cream supply, under air pressure as hereinafter described, in the direction of the brush head 4.

On the other end of the cylinder 11 is detachably mounted, as by'threads 14 an air' pumping device comprising a pump cylinder 15 formed with a plunger chamber 16 for accommodating the plunger disk 17 having suitable packing 18 and threaded on the inner end of the tubular plunger rod '19 which is adapted to be reciprocated by means of an outer knob or handle portion 20, the plunger and rod structure being held in proper position by means of a flanged collar 21 having a central 0 ening 22 for theplunger rod 19, and the fl dnge portion 21 of the collar being suitably threaded for engagement with the outer end of the cylinder 15.

. The plunger rod 19 is formed with a central longitudinal air passage 23 communicating at its inner end, within the plunger structure 17, with an enlarged valve chamber 24 containing a ball valve 25 adapted to seat, during the working stroke of the plunger, against the inner end of the passage 23, as illustrated in Figure 2, in which view is shown a pin 26 for retaining the ball valve 25 within the chamber 24.

The inner end of the cylinder 15 is provided with another check valve structure in alinement with the axis of the plunger chamber 16, and comprising a valve chamber 27 and valve 28 which is retained by a spring element 29normally seated against a valve ori fice 30, thus providing an automatic check valve adapted to open under air pressure developed by the action of the plunger 17 for forcing air into the reservoir 12, while automatically closing as said plunger 17 is retracted.

In the use of my improved device, a supply of the liquid soap or lathering cream is placed within the reservoir 12, by detaching either the cylinder 15 and follower disk 13, or the brush head member 4 (leaving the fol- 7 lower disk 13 at the outer end of said cylinder-11) filling the reservoir chamber with a supply of the soap or cream, and then replacing the parts.

Thereafter, wheneverit is desired to force a supply of the contents of the reservoir into the bristles '5, the plunger structure is reciprocated by means of the outer knob or handle portion 20, the outward movement of which admits air to the plunger chamber 16 past the valve 25, whereupon the opposite or inward movement of the plunger automatically closes the valve 25 against the inner end of the passage 23, and forces the air from the chamber 16 past the valve 27 and into the reservoir 12 behind thefollower disk 13. Further outward movement of the plunger 17 will result in automatic closing of the valve 27 by the action of its spring 28, thus maintaining the pressure within the reservoir 12, and thereafter any further operation of the .pumping device increases the pressure within the reservoir and eventually discharges a portion of its contents past the valve 7 into the tube 6 to the bristles 5.

It will thus be seen that the operation of the device is simple, easy and convenient, and

mounted for free movement within said cylinder in response to the action of said pumping device, one of the connections between said cylinder and the other parts being detachable to permit filling 0 said cylinder. 2. A fountain lather brush comprising a brush head with bristles, a reservoir cylinder detachably connected with said brush head, an air pumping device connected with the outer end of said cylinder and having valved communication therewith, a check valve controlling communication between said cylinder and the bristles of said brush head, and a follower disk mounted for free movement within said cylinder in response to the action of said pumping device.

3. A fountain lather brush comprising a brush head with bristles and a tubular passage communicating with said bristles and a spring check valve at the entrance of said passage, a reservoir cylinder connected with said brush head, an air pumping device connected with the outer end of said cylinder and including a valved plunger having an exterior operating handle, an inwardly openingcheck valve controlling communication between said pump device and said reservoir cylinder, and a follower disk mounted for free movement within said cylinder in response to the action of said plunger.

In witness whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HARLAN E. MEDLEY.

affords an effective control and regulation of the supply of the lathering cream supplied to the bristles of the brush, and after each operation the plunger 17 is left in its innermost position adjacent to the valve 28 and the contents of the device remain unaltered until the next operation, which is 'simplya repetition of that described until all the contents of the reservoir 12 have been used. The valves 7 -and28 guard against any loss of contents from the reservoir 12 excepting at the will of the operator, by the action of the pumping dev1ce.

It will thus be seen that a simple, practical and eflicient construction has been devised for fulfilling the various desired objects of the invention, and while the preferred form of construction has been described, I desire to reserve the right to make whatever changes or modifications may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fountain lather brush comprising a brush head with bristles, a reservoir cylindenconnected with. said brush head, an air pumping device connected with the outer end of said cylinder and having valved communication therewith, and a follower disk Ill 

